Last week the House passed a bill that would defund Planned Parenthood for a period of one year. This was sparked by the apparently foul play in the organization this past summer. All federal funding for this organization will be funneled to different health clinics that do not offer abortion services.

As a woman this is an issue I personally have some very strong opinions about this. There is no way I can have an unbiased opinion about this. I believe that this is one of the dumbest mistakes that the government has mad in a very long time. This isn’t some dumb education reform nor is this a health care enactment. This is taking away some people’s only choice for health care.

Before I even touch the abortion topic let’s look at what Planned Parenthood does. This is so much more than an abortion clinic. In fact abortions only make up a small fraction of their services. They are one of the leading women’s health care clinics in the nation. For some women this is the only place that they can afford to have a gynecologist appointment. And contrary to some conservative’s beliefs, going to see a gynecologist is a crucial part of being a woman. They can test for cervical cancer and breast cancer. They can also give advice on when the best time to have a child would be based on their cycle.

They provide many STD screenings. Sometimes STDs happen. It’s not like anyone plans to get them. This is another way other than abortion that Planned Parenthood helps more people than just women. In the same vein they also offer birth control and other contraceptives. Whether you agree with them or not it is not illegal to have these and some people take it for reasons other than sex. I know a lot of women who take birth control simply because if they don’t they can’t go to class when they have their period because they are in so much pain.

Other than gender related services many Planned Parenthood facilities offer regular doctors. By defunding Planned Parenthood the government is taking away one of the best quality for the best price health care centers in the country. I can try to understand them being against the abortion aspect but I cannot excuse taking away a crucial part of some people’s health care plans.

Now to the real issue: abortion. You can be pro-life or pro-choice it doesn’t really matter to me. I don’t care why you are pro-whatever. However you cannot tell a woman what she can and cannot do with her body. Abortion is not against the law. Let me say that again. Abortion is not against the law. And until it is it is unethical of the government to defund a facility because they provide abortions and redirect those funds to places that don’t. To me that seems like a blatant religious ruling and we have strict laws about the separation of church and state.

At the end of the day House of Congress, it isn’t your body and most of you are old men. When you get a uterus then you can tell me what I can and can’t do with it. Until then keep your hands out of women’s health care.